Mississippi State
LSU
No. 15 MSU Hosts LSU For Super Bulldog Weekend
April 23, 2026 | Baseball
STARKVILLE - No. 15 Mississippi State returns to Dudy Noble Field this weekend for one of the marquee home stretches of the season, welcoming LSU to Starkville for a three-game Southeastern Conference series during Super Bulldog Weekend.
The series opens Friday at 3 p.m. on SEC Network+, continues Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. on SEC Network+.
MSU (31-10, 10-8 SEC) enters the matchup on a five-game winning streak after a road sweep at South Carolina and a midweek victory over Memphis. The Diamond Dawgs have surged back into the national spotlight by pairing one of the SEC's most productive offenses with a deep and dangerous pitching staff.
For Mississippi State, the formula has been balance.
State is hitting .316 as a team and leads the SEC in doubles with 96, a number that also ranks among the national leaders. The Bulldogs have added 68 home runs and a .415 on-base percentage, creating pressure throughout the lineup and making them one of the most complete offenses in the conference.
Junior infielder Ace Reese continues to anchor the lineup. Reese leads the SEC with 17 doubles while batting .312 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs. He has been especially hot of late and remains one of the most dangerous bats in college baseball.
Graduate transfer Gehrig Frei has provided consistency in the order with a .331 average and seven home runs, while veteran Bryce Chance is batting .364. Noah Sullivan is hitting .336 with seven homers, and freshman Jacob Parker has delivered immediate impact power with seven home runs while batting .326.
Mississippi State's biggest edge may be on the mound.
The Bulldogs carry a 3.42 team ERA, have recorded six shutouts and are holding opponents to a .223 batting average. Their ability to miss bats and limit damage has fueled the recent winning streak.
Sophomore left-hander Tomas Valincius is scheduled to start Friday's opener and has developed into one of the SEC's top arms. Valincius is 7-1 with a 1.81 ERA and 83 strikeouts against just 13 walks in 59.2 innings.
Right-hander Duke Stone is slated for Saturday and brings a 6-1 record with a 3.78 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. Stone is coming off one of his best outings of the season after dominating South Carolina.
Charlie Foster is listed for Sunday's finale. Foster has shown steady progress and turned in a strong seven-inning effort last weekend.
LSU is expected to counter with right-hander Cason Evans in Friday's opener. Evans owns 76 strikeouts in 52.2 innings and features swing-and-miss stuff. William Schmidt is lined up for Saturday after recording 67 strikeouts in 50 innings. LSU has not announced a Sunday starter.
LSU (23-18, 6-12 SEC) arrives looking to regain momentum in conference play. The Tigers have enough offense to challenge any staff with 66 home runs this season.
Derek Curiel leads the Tigers with a .354 average and 57 hits. Cade Arrambide has added 10 homers, and Steven Milam remains another key run producer in the lineup.
History adds another layer to the weekend.
Mississippi State leads the all-time series 219-197-1, though LSU swept last year's meeting in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs won the last series played in Starkville in 2024 and now get another chance in front of what should be some of the largest crowds of the year during Super Bulldog Weekend.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the baseball program. Fans can also follow the program on social media by searching 'HailStateBB' on X, Facebook and Instagram.
